Lock washer



Dec. 1, 1931'. N. R. LILLIG 1,834,247

LOCK WASHER Filed Nov. 24. 1930 2 sheets sheet 1 A/wholds RLiZ 2 5 Dec. 1, 1931. N. R. LlLLlG 1,834,247

LOCK WASHER Filed Nov. 24, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jmowtw Nicholas RL-illfy Patented Dec. 1, 1931 UNI-TED. s'rA'rss PATENT orrics NICHOLAS RICHARD LILLIG, OI POBTLAIDyOBEGON, ABSIQHOK T HOE LOCK-WASHER IAFU'I'AGEIPIIIBIIIN'G 00., 01 PORTLAND, DEMON, A GORPORA'IIOH OI omen nocx w' Application fled Iovember 84, 1080. Serial Io. 497,804.

Further, it is an object to'provide a cor- 1 My invention relates to washers for securing bolts and nuts against coming loose, and

my present invention particularly has to do with the provision of lock washers foruse where considerable vibration occurs, as for example-in rail joints. Track washers frequent y come loose due to stretch in the bolt brought about by the variation in temperature as well as by vibration in trains passing over the rail joints; such stretch may also be due to wear 1n the angle bars and rails. It is therefore an important object of my invention to provide a washer which will compensate for these variations and stretching and will keep the joint ti ht at alltimes.

Further, it is an o ject to provide a washer of resilient type to take up stretch and variations due to expansion or wear which also makes provision for holding thenut locked against unscrewing even thou h stretch and variation due to temperature 0 anges or wear occur; a washer which will automatically be caused to lock the nut when vibration tends to loosen the nut.

To accomplish these ob'ects I. provide awasher having peculiar un ulations or waves which are at a maximum at the outer diameter or perimeter of the washer but practically die out before the bolt hole of the washer is reached, thus leaving a substantially flat central portion of the washer with a deeply undulated portion at the circumference, which undulations are so arranged in relation to the corners of the nut to be looked, that they not only give resiliency but they also tend to lock the nut with its corners coinciding with the troughs of the washer.

Further, it is an object of the invention to provide a washer of the characteristics just mentioned which is also provided with definitely locking tongues, one for biting into the part against which the washer is orced and another acting as a tongueto spring up against the side face of the nut to hold the same against turning back'or being turned back.

Further, it is an object to provide a washer embod ing the novel characteristics aforesaid which will also be reversible, i. e., which may be used either face up.

rugated washer with s ringy locking tongues to engage the side wa of a nut and so arranged adjacent the peri hery of the washer disk and with respect to the peaks and valleys of the undulations as to perform the dual functions of first, roviding notches or cuts in the periphery o suflicient depth to allow the metal 0 the washer to spread as the washer is flattened and thus reducing cracking or breaking under flattening pressures to the minimum, and secondly to allow the metal of the washer to spread from the body part of the washer rather than from the tongues thereby relieving the tongues of flattening strains so their resilienc may, at all times, be maintained substantia y constant.

Further,.it is an object to provide for increasing the resiliency of the peripheral portion of the washer disk including the tongues and this is accomplished by having the thickest portion of the metal adjacent the bolt hole and thinning out toward the periphery.

. This construction aids in reducin the danger of splitting the washer radially mm the peri hery inwardly.

urther, it is an object to rovide a washer of the corrugated type by which the greatest resistance between nut and plate occurs adjacent the bolt hole rather than at the periphery of the washer disk, thereby reducing the tendency of the resisting force to cant the nut and consequently tend to bend the bolt out of alignment.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends, the invention still further resides in the novel details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts all of which willbe first fully described in the following detailed description, then be particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the action of one embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is an elevation of the same taken at a position of 180 from that of Figure 1.

I 10 tion of the invention.

Figure 8 is an enlarged cross section on the line 88 of Figure 7. Figure 9 is a lan of the washer of Figure 7 but showing t e same provided with a pair 15 of tongues.

Figure 10 is an enlarged side elevation of the washer shown in Figure 9 looking in the direction of the arrow av. 4

' Figure 11 is an edge view of the washer 3 blank before being undulated.

Figure 12 is a detail section on the line 12-12 of Figure 9 showing how the metal is thinned out toward the periphery of the washer after the undulating process has been g ap lied.

igure 13 is a plan of a slight modification. Figure 14 is an edge view of the same looking in the direction of the arrow 2: in Figure 13- go In the drawings, 1 designates the bolt, 2 the nut and 3 the part or arts to which the bolt and nut are applied with clamping pressure.

Referring now particularly to Figures 1, 2, as 3 and 4 of thedrawings the washer which comprises the embodiment of the invention therein disclosed consists of a body 4 having a bolt hole 5 in its center and formed with undulations having alternate high places 6 o and low laces midway between jacent high places w en the washer is viewed in the direction of its axis. The washer is preferably slitted as at 7 on radial lines and annularly as at 8 to provide at least two tongues 10, one of the slits 7 being located at a hi h point 6 and the other slit 7 at a low point tween adjacent high points 6, so that when the washer is in use one of the tongues 10 will bite into the body 3 against which itis pressed while the other tongue 10 will rise'against one of the fiatfaces of the nut 2 as a positive locking tongue or back stop to prevent the nut being screwed 011', see Figures 1 and v 2 respectively. Furthermore, by reason of the peculiarly formed undulations, when a corner of the nut aligns with a depressed art of the washer, the nutwill be held by t e undulations against accidental turning back.

:In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive the tongues 10 are approximately opposite one another across a diameter. In the embodiment shown in F igures 5 and 6, however, the tongues are located closer to ether. In each case, however, one radial slit is at a high point and the other plan of the partsi shown in with V-shaped amen the same reference numeral plus the index letter b.

As shown in Figure 9, the tongues 10b are formed similarly to those of the precedin embodiments, namely by radial slits 725 an annular slits 8b, the one radial slit bein at ahigh point of an undulation while the ot er is at a low point of an undulation. While the slits 7 and 8. (7a, 8a or 7b, 8b as the case may be) and the corresponding slits 8, 8a, 8b may be made in such a way as not to displace the tongues 10, 10a, 106 from the body of the washers, still for some purposes it may be preferable to give the tongues a slight twist so as to raise the outermost corner of a tongue above the surface of the body part of the washer, see Figures 2,9 and 10, so as to provide a sharpi ploint to dig into the part 3 against whic t e tongue is pressed.

In Figures 13' and '14 is shown a slight modification adapted particularly for heavy work For heavy work it has been found that it is advant one to provide the washer preferably) notches 7 c in lieu of the slits 7, 7 a or 7 b, and to locate the axes of the V-shaped notches approximately tangential to the bolt opening 50 so as to give a sharp chisel oint 7p which is preferably vslightly ofi'set rom the adjacent surface of the washer so as to 've the tongues 100 more freedom to dig in deply when the pressure of the nut is applied. I

When the washer is to be used on automobiles or other fine machinery it is preferable that the tongue does not dig. in too deeply and therefore in those cases the washers of Figures 1 to 12 inclusive are preferred. l

In Figures 13 and 14 those. parts which are analogous to corresponding parts in the preceding figures bear the same reference numerals plus the index letter a.

The method of manufacturing the washers is to stamp from suitable soft (annealed) sheet metal, of substantially uniform gauge, blanks such as shown in Figure 11, and then the blank is put into a die press which puts in the undulations without substantially increasing the overall diameter of the washer or decreasing the diameter of the bolt hole. The undulating press stretches the washer from perimeter to hole in an annular direction, the stretch being greatest at the perimeter and least adjacent the hole, thereby leavcorrespond to similar. parts in Figure 1 bear I asses? ing the original'thickness of the washer, at the hole but progressively thinning the body of the washer toward the periphery so that the washer blank after it has been undulated is of the same overall diameter, the same central hole diameter, and contains the same amount ofmetal as was the blank before undulating the same. The washer is then hardened or tempered so as to acquire the proper resiliency and to provide against the metal beingdisplaced when the washer is in use.

.The tapering of the body of the washer' outwardly toward the periphery also tends to give the washer its test resiliency adjacent the periphery w ere the locking function occurs. 'Of course the tongues 10 are formed by slitting, as at 7 and 8, the blank before it is tempered or hardened. A washer thus constructed cannot wholly be flattened out at the peri hery, because after hardening there is no p ace for the stretch to go to, and therefore there will always be undulations adjacent the periphery of the washer into the troughs of which the corners of the nut may lie and thus be locked against accidental unscrewing. This locking by the undulations is greatly augmented by the tongues 10, one of which is pressed into biting engagement with the body 3 and the other springs up as the corner of the nut passes over it to lie against the side of the nut as a positive back stop. This is a particularly advantageous feature since it prevents the unauthorized unscrewing of the nut, and together with the resiliency of the nut, due to the undulations, and together with the undulating-lock feature, absolutely insures the nut against coming loose in use when expansion and contraction, etc. of the bolt takes place. f

In using my present washer it is found that the action of screwing a nut down on the washer is very peculiar. As these undulations are pressed down the tongues either remain in their same positions and the body of the washer is forced away from them, or else the flattening of the washer causes the tongues to rise up. In either case the efl'ect is the same and is that of causing the lower tongue to dig in more and the upper tongue come higher on the corner of the nut, see Flgures 1 and 2.

While in this application I have described a particular method by which'the washers may be formed, I wish it understood that the particular method is not a part of the present application butconstitutes the sub ect matter of another applic'ationfiled on the 21st day of May, 1931, as a continuation 1n part of this application, the method claims or1 g1- nally presented in this appllcatlon hav1ng been cancelled for purposes of division and carried into. said applicationfiled on the 21st day of May, 1931.

Other advantages of the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art, and I desire it understood that slight changes in the de- 1180f construction and arrangement of parts may be made without de artin from the spirit of the invention as d fined y the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A lock washer comprising a metal disk having a central bolt hole encircled by an annular body having undulations, the undulations being of greatest magnitude at the perinhery andof least magnitude adjacent the hole, said body having radial slits extending inwardly from the riphery and merging with longitudinal S ta to leave to es, the radial slits being located alternate at a highest and a lowest point in the un ulaions.

' 2. A look washer comprising a metal disk having a central bolt hole encircled by an annular body having undulations, the undulations being of greatest magnitude at the periphery and of least magnitude adjacent the ole, said bodyhaving radial slits'extending inwardly from the nerinhery on merging with longitudinal slits to leave tongues, the radial slits bein located alternatel at a highest and a lowest point in the undu ation's, said longitudinal slits extending in opnosite directions whereby the tongues will be directed in opposite ways.

3. A look washer comprising a metal disk having a central bolt holeencircled by an annular body having undulations, the undu-' lations being of greatest magnitude at the periphery and of least magnitude adjacent the hole, the metal of the bodv being thickest at the hole and progressively thinner from there toward the periphery.

4. A lock washer comprising a metal disk having a central bolt hole encircled by an annular body having undulations, the undulations being of greatest magnitude at the periphery and'of least magnitude adjacent the hole, said body having radial slits extending inwardly from the periphery and merging with longitudinal slits to leave tongues, the metal of the body being thickest at the hole and progressively thinner from there toward the periphery.

5. A look was er comprising a metal disk having a central bolt hole encircled by an annularbody having undulations, the undulations being of greatest magnitude at the eriphery and of least magnitude adjacent the hole, said body having radial slits extending inwardly from the periphery and merging with the longitudinal slits to leave tongues, the radial slits being located alternately at 8. highest and a lowest point in the undulations, the metal of the ody being thickest at the hole and progressively thinner from there toward the'periphery.

6. A look washer comprising a metal disk having a central bolt hole encircled by an annular body having undulations, the undulaled - sively thinner from-there toward the periph-.-

tions being of test 111 riphery and ofd ei st m ude adjacentthe hole, said body having radial slits extending inwardlywfrom the riphery and merging with longitudinal slits to leave tongues, the radial slits being located alternatel at a hi best and a lowest point in the und ations,

said longitudinal slits extending in opposite havin a central bolt hole encircled by an andirections whereby the tongues will be directed in o posite ways, the metal of thebody being thic est at the hole. and progressively thinner from there toward the periphery.

7. A lock washer comprising a metal disk having a central'bolt hole encircled by an annular body having undulations, the undulations being of greatest m 'tude at the perpihery and of least magnitude adjacent the hole, said body having radial slits extending inwardly from the periphery and merging with longitudinal slits to leave tongues, the radial slits being located alternatel at a highest and a lowest int in the undulations, said longitudinal s 'ts extending in op "te directions whereby the ton es w1 be directed inopposite ways, sai tongues being twisted whereb their outermost corners will lie outside t e face surfacesof the body to present digging in points. v Y

8. A lock washer comprising a metal disk havin a central bolt hole encircled by an annular y having undulations, the undulations being of greatest magnitude at the periphery and of least magnitude adjacent the hole said bod having radial slits extending inwardly f i'om the riphery and merging with longitudinal s its to leave tongues, said tongues being twisted whereby their outermost corners Wlll lie outside the face surfaces of the body to present dig in points, the metal of the body being'ti i est at the hole and progressively thinner from there toward the peri hery.

9. A lock w er comprising a metal disk havinga central bolt hole encircled by an annular body having undulations, the undulations being of greatest magnitude at the periphery and of least magnitude adjacent the hole, said body having radial slits extending inwardly from the riphery and merging with longitudinal 'ts to leave' tongues,

the radial slits beinglocated alternately at a highest and a lowest point in the undulations, said longitudinal slits extending in oppositedirections whereby the tongues will be directed in opposite ways, said tongues being twisted whereby their outermost corners will lie outside the face surfaces of the body to resent digging-in points, the metal of the y being thickest at the hole and progresery.

10. A lock washer comprising a metal disk having a central bolt hole encircled by an annular body having undulations, the undu-' itude the pelations being of greatest .metal as that of a flat b of which mer 'm gnit a a the and least magnitu e ad acent the disk containi the same mass of all diameter as the finished washer and havof the finished washer.

11. A lock washer comprising a metal disk nular y having undulations, the undulations'being of magnitude at the periphery. and of least magnitude adjacent the hole said body having inwardly directed notches at the periphery the inner extremities of which merge with he 'tudinal slits to leave tongues the metal of .0 disk being thickest at the hole and p 'vely thinner from there toward the periphery.

.12. A lock washercomprising a metal disk havingzdcentral bolt hole encircled by an annular y having undulations, the undulations being of greatest ma 'tude at the periphery and of leastmagmtude adjacent the hole, said body having inwardly directed V- shaped notches at the periphe the a xes with longitu inal slits to leave tongues, t e axes ofthe V-shapednotches lying 'approximatel tan ntial to the bolt hole the metal of tv e dis being thickest at the hole and progressively thinner from there toward the periphery.

13. A loc washer comprising'a metal disk having a central bolt hole encircled by an annular body having undulations, the undulations being of greatest in 'tude at the of the same overing a bolt hole of the same diameter as that do periphery and of least magnitude adjacent he NICHOLAS RICHARD L G.

Ian, 

